


Dance with the Dragons

by XenoWolfe



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dragons, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, Disabled!Yuuri, Dragon riding is a competetive sport, Inspired by How to Train Your Dragon, M/M, Person with disability, Physical Disability, The skaters are dragon riders, Yuuri basically has a prosthetic leg
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-06
Updated: 2017-01-06
Packaged: 2018-09-15 05:36:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9221321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XenoWolfe/pseuds/XenoWolfe
Summary: In an alternate universe where dragons exist as ordinary everyday creatures in modern society, Yuuri Katsuki, a self-proclaimed "dime-a-dozen" dragon rider, is preparing for his first ever appearance in the Grand Prix Final of Dragon Riding. Yuuri's life changes forever when he gets into an accident performing his program on the last day of the GPF and loses his leg in the process. Thinking he has no chance of ever meeting the dragon rider legend Viktor Nikiforov on the same level again, Yuuri runs away to Japan and takes the rest of the season off to reevaluate his options. But when a viral video of him performing Viktor's winning program reaches the living legend himself, he embarks on one final journey to prove himself as the dragon rider who will make history.Can Yuuri become the first PWD dragon riding champion of the Grand Prix?





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hey hey hey, my first fic in the Yuri on Ice fandom! I had this plot bunny bouncing in my head after rewatching How to Train Your Dragon one time. I will be closely following the beginning events of YOI but I will be diverging from canon in multiple ways (this is an AU after all) so you may be surprised by the chronology of certain events and the way some things will turn out. Hopefully you guys like it! Pls comment and review, it gives me inspiration and a reason to get off my lazy ass and update!
> 
> Oh and by the way, I don't have much knowledge when it comes to physical disabilities like the one Yuuri has. I will do my best to portray disabilities in a respectful and tasteful manner. If there's anyone who thinks my portrayal is offensive or inaccurate, please don't hesitate to let me know!
> 
> More info about Viktor's dragon at the end notes :)

_Excerpt taken from **The Art of Dragon Riding, Volume One** by Yakov Feltsman (Official English Translation, p. 17):_

_Defining Dragon Riding _  
_Competitive Dragon Riding is a popular and common sport involving a dragon and its owner or handler (typically called “riders”, hence the name of the sport). The riders, mounted on their dragons, engage in various stunts and choreographed flight sequences that is graded on both technical elements and program components. Unlike the similar sport of Dragon Racing, Competitive Dragon Riding was historically considered as more of a performance art rather than a sport due to the high level of artistry it requires for a riding pair to become successful in competitions. However, the inherent danger of competitive dragon riding that demands aspiring riders to be at peak physical condition has led to steps by numerous governments and institutions to reclassify it as an extreme sport. Finally, in 1963, the International Dragon Riding Federation (IDRF) succeeded in officially entering the sport in the Olympics **(see more details on pp. 62-69).**_

~~~~~~~~

There was an old Japanese saying that one’s dragon was a mirror image of their very soul.

If this was true, then Viktor Nikiforov’s soul was the most beautiful thing Yuuri Katsuki has ever seen.

The first time he sees Viktor perform was when Yuuko begs him to watch the Junior Grand Prix Final of Dragon Riding with her. She had practically dragged him over to the tiny television in Yuuri’s bedroom and talked his ear off about the latest dragon rider prodigy from Russia who Yuuko wasted no time on praising. Yuuri was young, impatient, and knew next to nothing about the sport or dragons in particular, so it was no small wonder what the next words out of his mouth were.

“Yu-chan, can we just watch cartoons instead?” he whines, watching Yuuko flip through the channels rapidly.

“We can watch that later! C’mon, after everything I told you about Viktor, don’t you at least want to see his program? We’re just in time for his turn!”

“I don’t—” Yuuri gets cut off by the sound of the announcer’s tinny voice coming from the dusty speakers of the TV. Onscreen, an enthusiastic reporter narrates the events of the competition to a co-reporter.

_“…And up next is the sensational dragon rider representing Russia, Viktor Nikiforov. He’s accompanied by a gorgeous Siberian Icehorn named Makkachin. We’re in for a treat, ladies and gentlemen! Nikiforov and his dragon are one of the crowd favorites this year and has been winning competition after competition. After the smashing success of their Short Program, there’s very little stopping them from nabbing another first place trophy in the Junior GPF.”_

_“That’s right! Nikiforov’s on his way to the top with no signs of stopping, and he’s already being called the pride and joy of Russia. We have to note, though, that he is one of the oldest competitors in the Juniors division, so it’s his last hurrah before he enters the unforgiving world that is the Senior division of Competitive Dragon Riding. Let’s wish him luck.”_ The camera then switches to a view of an open-air stadium, an expectant audience waiting for the next riding pair’s performance.

Yuuri’s jaw drops when a saddled four-legged dragon steps onto the stage in the center. It was unlike any dragon he had ever seen. It was enormous, but it had a lithe, graceful body and a long, slender tail. The dragon had white feathers that made it look almost soft and fluffy. It had two long, curved horns that were transparent and colorless, giving it the impression of icicles growing from the sides of its head. The animal’s vivid blue eyes were brimming with intelligence as it bounded across the stage.

Yuuri pulls hard at the sleeve of Yuuko’s jacket. “That’s a dragon?! I’ve never seen dragons like that before!”

She laughs. “That’s a Siberian Icehorn, Yuuri-kun. You don’t see them around here because they’re really rare and they’re not native to Japan. They’re not anything like the boring old dragons we have around here that we just use as pack animals. I bet Makkachin is a special dragon trained and bred for competitions.”

A lone young man with silver hair walks straight up to the beast. The camera pans closer to the man’s devastatingly handsome face, with his hair tied back in a ponytail and eyes bluer than even his dragon’s. He was wearing a black skintight costume with a half skirt that accentuated his slim figure.

“Is that him? Viktor?” Yuuri whispers, almost inaudibly. “He’s pretty.”

  
The boy— _Viktor, his name was Viktor,_ Yuuri’s mind helpfully supplies— calmly hoisted himself up on the creature’s back. Yuuri gets another surprise of his life when the dragon’s wings unfurl, and he sees that it has two pairs. All four of the dragon’s wings flap noiselessly, and they take off.

From beginning to end, Yuuri was enraptured. When the music starts, Viktor and Makkachin launch into a series of death-defying flips, spins and turns so beautiful it took Yuuri’s breath away. Viktor looked absolutely at ease in the air, even taking a moment to let go of the saddlehorn to perch precariously on the dragon’s back. It felt like rider and dragon became a single entity to seamlessly read each other’s movements. It looked like Viktor was on top of the world, and Yuuri was, too.

One moment that was burned into his mind forever was when Viktor fell out of his saddle. Yuuri’s heart leaps to his throat as he watched the rider fall to his apparent death, only to be snatched inches away from the ground by his loyal dragon’s waiting claws. Viktor simply holds onto his dragon, hops back onto the saddle and continued his program.

Yuuko laughs at his dumbstruck impression. “Were you scared? Don’t be, Yuuri-kun! Viktor probably practiced that millions of times. His fall wasn’t accidental.”

 _“… And what a lovely Trust Fall by Viktor Nikiforov! He showed that his dragon was indeed well-trained when they beautifully executed this move. Only the most dedicated of riders pull this off as this requires a high level of trust between riding pairs. Many a rider have been seriously injured or died as a result of attempting this move…”_ the announcer drones on as if nothing unusual had happened.

Before long, the program ends and Viktor and Makkachin step off the stage to make way for the next competitor. Yuuri doesn’t pay attention until the results are announced, with Viktor as the clear winner with a lead of over ten points. Viktor’s smile as he steps onto the podium, his excited dragon trailing behind him and his new trophy in hand, was almost blinding in its brilliance.

The GPF telecast ends with Viktor's dragon breathing a flurry of ice and snow to the cheering audience. Yuuri and Yuuko sit in companionable silence until Yuuri turns to his friend, eyes wide and his heart set on one goal.

“Yu-chan, I wanna meet Viktor. Can I be a dragon rider?”

**Author's Note:**

> Dragons and their owners  
> Viktor Nikiforov- Makkachin (Siberian Icehorn) The Siberian Icehorn is a species native to the subarctic parts of Russia. So called because their horns, teeth, spikes, claws and any exposed part of their skeleton are transparent, giving the appearance of icicles growing on their body. It has a thick coat of feathers and makes itself at home in cold weather, often breathing pillars of ice to make its home. It is one of the few rare species to possess two pairs of wings; one primary pair for flapping and staying aloft and a secondary pair located behind the primary pair for steering and extra lift. Siberian Icehorns are one of the biggest species registered and allowed to compete under International Dragon Riding Federation guidelines. Makkachin in particular is around 35 ft in length.


End file.
